Formula 1 Decade
Encyclopedia
Formula 1 Decade was a show on Speed Channel
. First airing on May 11, 2003 the show takes a look at Formula One
Grand Prix
events that were run 10 years prior to the present season. A one-hour show, the announcers, SPEED's Formula One commentary team, Bob Varsha
, Steve Matchett
, and David Hobbs, perform a mixture of a commentary as if the race is taking place right now along with reminiscing about rules changes and also Matchett's then role with Michael Schumacher's team. In 2003, when the show looked back at the 1993 season, dominated by Alain Prost
, Varsha was the show's host, while Hobbs and Matchett looked at videotape of the races, and reminisced. That changed in 2004, when Matchett began introducing the race that would be seen on an episode and wrapping up each show, while Varsha joined Matchett and Hobbs to do commentary.
Speed Channel picked up the rights to broadcast the years-old races in their three-year agreement with FOM in 2003. It was included in their contract that allowed them to continue broadcasting live Formula One races, though it cost extra money, as the Formula One archives are rarely opened to any network.
On April 2, 2004 the show had the daunting task of airing the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix
, and showing the crash that claimed the life of 3-time World Drivers' Champion, and 41-time Grand Prix race winner Ayrton Senna
in that event. Matchett, a mechanic for Benetton-Ford
that weekend, made these remarks at the beginning of the broadcast:
(*)-There had already been two serious accidents in the days before Senna's-one on April 29 during Friday practice, that nearly killed Rubens Barrichello
, and one on April 30 during Saturday qualifying that killed Roland Ratzenberger
.
The show returned in 2005, taking a look back at the 1995 season, when Michael Schumacher
took his second straight World Drivers' Championship. F1 Decade was not renewed for 2006; if it had been, it would have looked back at Damon Hill
's championship season in 1996
.
SPEED Channel
Speed , is a cable and satellite television network broadcast to various parts of North America, but primarily the United States...
. First airing on May 11, 2003 the show takes a look at Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
Grand Prix
Grand Prix motor racing
Grand Prix motor racing has its roots in organised automobile racing that began in France as far back as 1894. It quickly evolved from a simple road race from one town to the next, to endurance tests for car and driver...
events that were run 10 years prior to the present season. A one-hour show, the announcers, SPEED's Formula One commentary team, Bob Varsha
Bob Varsha
Bob Varsha is one of the on-air personalities for Speed Channel. Varsha is presently the host of the network's live Formula One coverage. In 2002 and 2003, Varsha was the host of SPEED's Champ Car coverage. Rick DeBruhl took over Varsha's Formula One host chair for that period. In 2004, Varsha...
, Steve Matchett
Steve Matchett
Steve Matchett is currently a commentator for American TV network Speed Channel on its various Formula One programs...
, and David Hobbs, perform a mixture of a commentary as if the race is taking place right now along with reminiscing about rules changes and also Matchett's then role with Michael Schumacher's team. In 2003, when the show looked back at the 1993 season, dominated by Alain Prost
Alain Prost
Alain Marie Pascal Prost, OBE, Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur is a French racing driver. A four-time Formula One Drivers' Champion, Prost has won more titles than any driver except for Juan Manuel Fangio , and Michael Schumacher . From 1987 until 2001 Prost held the record for most Grand Prix...
, Varsha was the show's host, while Hobbs and Matchett looked at videotape of the races, and reminisced. That changed in 2004, when Matchett began introducing the race that would be seen on an episode and wrapping up each show, while Varsha joined Matchett and Hobbs to do commentary.
Speed Channel picked up the rights to broadcast the years-old races in their three-year agreement with FOM in 2003. It was included in their contract that allowed them to continue broadcasting live Formula One races, though it cost extra money, as the Formula One archives are rarely opened to any network.
On April 2, 2004 the show had the daunting task of airing the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix
1994 San Marino Grand Prix
The 1994 San Marino Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on May 1, 1994 at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola, Italy. It was the third race of the 1994 Formula One season...
, and showing the crash that claimed the life of 3-time World Drivers' Champion, and 41-time Grand Prix race winner Ayrton Senna
Ayrton Senna
Ayrton Senna da Silva was a Brazilian racing driver. A three-time Formula One world champion, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest F1 drivers of all time...
in that event. Matchett, a mechanic for Benetton-Ford
Benetton Formula
Benetton Formula Ltd., commonly referred to simply as Benetton, was a Formula One constructor that participated from to . The team was owned by the Benetton family who run a worldwide chain of clothing stores of the same name. In 2000 the team was purchased by Renault, but competed as Benetton for...
that weekend, made these remarks at the beginning of the broadcast:
- "Welcome to F1 Decade, Speed Channel's retrospective of the 1994 Formula 1 World Championship. We have reached round three-the San Marino Grand PrixSan Marino Grand PrixThe San Marino Grand Prix was a Formula One championship race which was run at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in the town of Imola, near the Apennine mountains in Italy, between 1981 and 2006...
. The constant, metronomic beat of the clock has led us, inescapably, to ImolaAutodromo Enzo e Dino FerrariThe Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari is an auto racing circuit near the Italian town of Imola, east of Bologna and east of the Ferrari factory in Maranello....
, and when the date 1994 and the name of Imola are brought together, they combine to form nothing but black, somber memories. The events of that race weekend, from the morning of April 28, when the teams first assembled at the track, until the evening of Sunday, May 1, rest amongst motor racing's darkest times. It was a weekend of tragedy, despair, and death. 10 years on, it may be that some viewers would prefer not to watch the coverage of these events, and if you feel in any way unsure, then I urge you to switch off your TV now. We cannot shy away from the fact that three very serious accidents happened.* The events of Imola are a part of the sport's history. The aftermath of that horrible weekend would forever change the way Grand PrixGrand Prix motor racingGrand Prix motor racing has its roots in organised automobile racing that began in France as far back as 1894. It quickly evolved from a simple road race from one town to the next, to endurance tests for car and driver...
cars are built, and forever change the way the races themselves are conducted. We at Speed Channel feel it is only proper that the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix is correctly documented, and that, in our opinion, must include correct coverage of Ayrton Senna's fatal accident."
(*)-There had already been two serious accidents in the days before Senna's-one on April 29 during Friday practice, that nearly killed Rubens Barrichello
Rubens Barrichello
Rubens Gonçalves "Rubinho" Barrichello is a Brazilian Formula One racing driver. He is currently racing for Williams F1.Barrichello has scored the seventh highest points total in Formula One history. Barrichello drove for Ferrari from to , as Michael Schumacher's teammate, enjoying considerable...
, and one on April 30 during Saturday qualifying that killed Roland Ratzenberger
Roland Ratzenberger
Roland Ratzenberger was an Austrian racing driver who raced in Formula Nippon, Formula 3000 and Formula One...
.
The show returned in 2005, taking a look back at the 1995 season, when Michael Schumacher
Michael Schumacher
Michael Schumacher is a German Formula One racing driver for the Mercedes GP team. Famous for his eleven-year spell with Ferrari, Schumacher is a seven-time World Champion and is widely regarded as the greatest F1 driver of all time...
took his second straight World Drivers' Championship. F1 Decade was not renewed for 2006; if it had been, it would have looked back at Damon Hill
Damon Hill
Damon Graham Devereux Hill OBE is a retired British racing driver. In 1996 Hill won the Formula One World Championship. As the son of the late Graham Hill, he is the only son of a world champion to win the title...
's championship season in 1996
1996 Formula One season
The 1996 Formula One season was the 47th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1996 FIA Formula One World Championship, which commenced on March 10, 1996, and ended on October 13 after sixteen races...
.
Show trivia
- The series' first episode took a look at the opening round of the 1993 Formula One season1993 Formula One seasonThe 1993 Formula One season was the 44th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1993 FIA Formula One World Championship, which commenced on March 14, 1993 and ended on November 7 after sixteen races...
, the 1993 South African Grand Prix1993 South African Grand PrixThe 1993 South African Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Kyalami on March 14, 1993. It was the first round of the 1993 Formula One season....
at KyalamiKyalamiKyalami is a motor racing circuit located in Midrand, Gauteng province, South Africa. The circuit has been used for Grand Prix and Formula One races and has hosted the South African Grand Prix many times. In recent years, the area surrounding the circuit has developed into a residential and...
, which was the last South African Grand PrixSouth African Grand PrixThe South African Grand Prix was first run as a Grand Prix motor racing handicap race in 1934 at the Prince George Circuit at East London, Eastern Cape Province...
ever held. - Matchett worked on Johnny HerbertJohnny HerbertJohn Paul Herbert is a British racing driver from England. He competed in Formula One, winning three races, and also in sports cars winning the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1991 driving a Mazda 787B...
's car as a mechanic at Benetton. Herbert and Matchett both claimed their maiden Formula One wins in the 1995 British Grand Prix1995 British Grand PrixThe 1995 British Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on July 16, 1995 at Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone, Northamptonshire, England. It was the eighth round of the 1995 Formula One season. The race, contested over 61 laps, was won by Johnny Herbert for the Benetton team after...
, a race perhaps made most famous for the fact that Michael Schumacher and Damon HillDamon HillDamon Graham Devereux Hill OBE is a retired British racing driver. In 1996 Hill won the Formula One World Championship. As the son of the late Graham Hill, he is the only son of a world champion to win the title...
crashed out of the race while battling for the lead. At episode's end, Matchett talked about how nervous he was during the closing laps of the race, and how much the win had meant to him. Said Matchett, "I freely confess that those closing laps at SilverstoneSilverstone CircuitSilverstone Circuit is an English motor racing circuit next to the Northamptonshire villages of Silverstone and Whittlebury. The circuit straddles the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire border, with the current main circuit entry on the Buckinghamshire side...
rank amongst the most stressful times of my life! They seemed to take forever!" Herbert and Matchett would team up for another Formula One win in 1995 — the 1995 Italian Grand Prix1995 Italian Grand PrixThe 1995 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on September 10, 1995 at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza, Italy. It was the twelfth race of the 1995 Formula One season. The race, contested over 53 laps, was won by Johnny Herbert for the Benetton team after starting...
at MonzaAutodromo Nazionale MonzaThe Autodromo Nazionale Monza is a race track located near the town of Monza, north of Milan, in Italy. The circuit's biggest event is the Formula One Italian Grand Prix, which has been hosted there since the sport's inception....
, another race in which Schumacher and Hill crashed out together. - A special edition of the show took place on September 26, 2003, during the weekend of the 2003 United States Grand Prix2003 United States Grand PrixThe 2003 United States Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on September 28, 2003 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.__FORCETOC__-Summary:...
, when Jackie StewartJackie StewartSir John Young Stewart, OBE , better known as Jackie Stewart, and nicknamed The Flying Scotsman, is a Scottish former racing driver and team owner. He competed in Formula One between 1965 and 1973, winning three World Drivers' Championships. He also competed in Can-Am...
joined Hobbs to take a look back at the 1973 German Grand Prix1973 German Grand PrixThe 1973 German Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Nürburgring on August 5, 1973.- Classification :- Notes :* Lap leaders: Jackie Stewart * Jackie Stewart took his 27th and last grand prix victory in this race...
at the NürburgringNürburgringThe Nürburgring is a motorsport complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a modern Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about...
, which Stewart won. - On May 1, 2004, a special re-broadcast of the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix1994 San Marino Grand PrixThe 1994 San Marino Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on May 1, 1994 at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola, Italy. It was the third race of the 1994 Formula One season...
was aired to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the tragic deaths of Roland RatzenbergerRoland RatzenbergerRoland Ratzenberger was an Austrian racing driver who raced in Formula Nippon, Formula 3000 and Formula One...
and more notably, Ayrton SennaAyrton SennaAyrton Senna da Silva was a Brazilian racing driver. A three-time Formula One world champion, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest F1 drivers of all time...
. The broadcast, as Steve MatchettSteve MatchettSteve Matchett is currently a commentator for American TV network Speed Channel on its various Formula One programs...
said in the introduction to it, was not cut or edited to exclude Senna's fatal crash.